Gladiator: Another World
by Miereya Sundown
Summary: What if the characters of Gladiator were replaced with dragons, gryphons, and other various mystical beings? What if swords were replaced by talons, teeth, and magic?
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: No, I don't own any of the characters of Gladiator (damn), nor do I own the script of Gladiator that I'm using to write this story. This is just the work of an enormously obsessed fan....^_^  
  
Notes: I got the idea for this story from a dream I had, actually, where everyone in Gladiator were dragons. I thought it would make quite a story, so I decided to write it...obviously. ^_^ It follows the storyline of the movie, but I've added characters and changed some things around to make it seem more fantasy-like. No extremely big changes, though, none that are large enough to affect the plot. It also contains a lot of the actual dialog from the movie as well.  
  
Warning: In the near future, this story will have graphic violence scenes, minor swearing, and some sexual references. That is why it's rated PG-13. ::kicks Commodus-dragon:: It's his entire fault, too. ::runs from the fuming mad dragon:: Aiiee! Without further ado, I present you with....Gladiator: Another World!!! ::hides behind Maximus-dragon::  
  
  
  
Silvery talons brushed with gentleness across the feathery tips of wheat. The heavy sound of flapping wings mingled with the sound of the breeze nudging the wheat, rustling it. The seemingly endless field rippled like golden ocean waves.   
The emerald-caressed dragon opened his crimson eyes. He lowered his almost hawklike head, his golden horns grabbing the light. He had been quietly reminiscing about his home among the golden fields of wheat. He ached to see his endearing wife and lovable son who were waiting for his return, listening for the steady beat of his wings as they cut across the sky, looking for that hint of green among the clear blue of the skies. Longing and desire swirled restlessly in his heart.  
Maximus Decimus Meridius turned and plodded off to the scene of the upcoming battle, claws tearing up the terrain beneath him.  
Countless creatures prepared for the upcoming battle. Dragons of every color strapped on their tail and head armor, while others fitted titanium claws over their normal ones. Phoenixes and gryphons flapped overhead, scouting the area for the faintest sign of the enemy. Unicorns stomped the ground with silver hooves anxiously, tossing their heads of silky manes.  
All stopped when their general approached.  
Hundreds of heads bowed, and the assorted creatures parted, letting General Maximus pass by them. The songs of phoenixes and the harsh cries of gryphons echoed through the winter air as the aerial creatures respectively greeted their general.  
Maximus nodded and smiled warmly at his army, pride filling his scaly body and replacing that aching longing for his home. He nodded to them once, and they continued the pre-battle preparations. He approaches a stern-faced gray gryphon, with one emerald and gold earring attached to his ear tufts. A chain of gold is strapped around his back, attached to a badge of the same colors as his earring. This was clearly a sign of high rank. "Still nothing?" Maximus asks the commander gryphon, Quintus.   
"Not a sign," Quintus replies, his eyes fixed on a group of dragon soldiers positioning catapults.   
A phoenix with golden-red plumage makes a graceful landing in front of Maximus. She spreads her wings and bows respectively.  
"Is there any sign--any sign at all--of the enemy?" Maximus questions.  
The phoenix speaks in a nervous tone of voice, her brilliantly elegant tail feathers quivering. "N-no sir. There's nothing. I can't see a thing through the thickness of the trees. They could be hiding in the depths of the forest...I just don't know." The phoenix hung her head in shame.  
"You've done all that you could. I don't want to risk losing one of my men by ordering him to venture into those woods. They are dangerous enough, even without the Germans. How far out did you fly?" Maximus asks.  
"A few miles, sir. Some even went farther than that. There is nothing. Not even the sound of metal clinking or the crunching of leaves and twigs," the firebird says, sadly.  
"They could have cast a spell....levitation spell, maybe, to hush their footsteps. Maybe even a good muting spell," Quintus cut in.  
"I doubt that greatly," said Maximus. "You must remember, these are barbarians we're dealing with. Or rather, should be dealing with...but that's not the point. The point is that all they know how to do is fight. And they aren't on the intelligent side, either. I bet that half of them don't even know what magic is!"  
"Yes...yes, of course, General." Quintus said, clouded blue eyes focused yet again on the group of dragons handling the catapults. "Soldier!" he suddenly shouted to the closest dragon. "Pull those catapults forward! They're out of range!"  
"Range is good," Maximus says, smiling a smile full of pearly fangs.  
"A danger to the cavalry-" Quintus beings, eying the general and clicking his beak.  
"It is acceptable." Maximus finished.  
A strange, haunting cry unlike any other Maximus had ever heard before echoed through the forest. The cry of a wyvern.   
The sound of frantically flapping wings sounded behind Maximus a few minutes after that unnatural cry had died away. He whirled around, only to come face to face with another phoenix. The bird's fiery red crest feathers were raised in alarm, his eyes wild with fear. His tail feathers were blackened and smoking. The female phoenix rushed to his side, uttering "Aerax, oh, Aerax, what happened?"  
The phoenix shuddered violently, and answered. "Th-the Germans....hiding in forest.....h-had casted D-darkness spell so we couldn't see 'em. I was flying over, and I heard a cry...strange...never heard anything like it. I looked down and there they were! Thousands of them....all armed and ready for battle! One shot a flaming arrow at me...I dodged it....singed my tail feathers though and.....they're headed this way! Closin' in fast too!"   
The young phoenix said this so quickly that Maximus asked him to repeat it. When he successfully straightened out what the phoenix had told him, his eyes widened in shock. Shock, but not fear. Never fear. He turned to the female phoenix. "Take Aerax to the safely of the tents. And Quintus," Maximus said, turning to the gryphon, "Help me get the cavalry in order."  
  
  
To be continued....  
  
  
And that's all I've got so far. But rest assured, reader, there will be more to come...  
  
~*Miereya*~  



	2. The Fury of Battle

Notes: Hmm. I just realized how long this is going to take if I do the whole movie like this.......O_O Oh well. As long as people are up to reading it, I'll continue typing away. Ok, on with Chapter 2.  
  
  
  
Quintus unfolds his mighty wings and flaps into the winter sky, kicking up clouds of stray dust as he does so. Maximus watches him rise, then turns to face the forest. The Darkness spell has worn off, and the immense army of barbarians can be seen through the mist. Their leader is obviously the wyvern-a large white creature that greatly resembles a dragon, minus the fact that it has no hind legs, just a whip like tail that spirals downwards. Even from this distance, Maximus can sense that this creature holds great power. Perhaps not brute strength, but very powerful magic, which can be just as dangerous. Maximus briefly wonders where the group of barbarians, consisting mostly of satyrs and gnomes, came up with this powerful being to be their leader.   
Quickly shaking these thoughts out of his mind, Maximus turns to face his army, who are awaiting his commands. "Phoenixes, prepare to unleash the fire spells into the trees above the enemy army. Unicorns in front, dragons operating the catapults behind them. Gryphons will attack from above," Maximus says, crimson orbs focusing on each group as he issues their commands. His piercing gaze falls upon a group of highly ranked dragons. "Come with me into the depths of the forest. There, we will attempt a surprise attack." The group nods respectively. "You are dismissed. And remember well what I have taught you! Strength and honor!" Maximus says, motioning for the group of dragons to follow him. He turns, and begins to trot quickly into the forest, the dragons close on his heels.  
***************************************************  
Quintus makes a graceful landing, as always. "Load up the catapults! Form up for advance! Phoenixes ready!"   
A particularly large phoenix carries a pot filled with oil a few meters above the ground. With skill, he turns it upside down and pours a straight line of oil on the frosty ground. A pale blue dragon opens her toothed mouth, her nostrils glowing a dull orange, and breathes a small blast of fire onto the shimmering line of oil. It ignites it immediately, and spreads throughout the trail. Some of the more powerfully-build dragons roll large rocks into the fire. The magic of dragonfire causes the rocks to ignite. With utmost caution, the dragon soldiers lift the rocks and load them onto the catapult.   
***************************************************  
"Three weeks from now, I will be harvesting my crops. Imagine where you will be, and it will be so! Hold the line! Stay with me! If you find yourself alone, flying over green fields with the sun in your face, do not be troubled! For you are in Elysium! And you're already dead!" Maximus shouts. The dragon warriors laugh half-heartedly. "Brothers," Maximus continues, "What we do in life...echoes in eternity!"   
Maximus then rises on his two hind feet, points his draconic head to the sky, and lets a mighty, baritone roar spill out of his throat and spread into the darkness of the forest. The other soldiers echo the roar, and soon the whole forest is ringing with the sound of fierce roaring. Maximus hushes his roar to a low growl, and lowers himself back onto all fours. He stands without moving a muscle, waiting, watching, listening for the right moment to attack.  
**************************************************  
"Catapults ready, sir," A slender dragon shouts to Quintus.  
"Phoenixes rise!" Quintus cries, after nodding at the dragon.  
"Rise!" The army of firebirds echo to their comrades. A phoenix flaps his mighty wings, sending tendrils of sparks flying, and takes up. He soars over the treetops, up-up.... and with one giant flap of his dazzling wings, shoots a fireball down into the trees above the barbarian army. Many other phoenixes take off in the same manner, and fire their own crackling orbs of licking flames.  
Quintus raises a claw-tipped paw into the air and signals the advance. The line of unicorns begins to more steadily forward.  
***********************************************  
Roaring their blood-curdling war cry, Maximus surges forward in a quick motion. The entire regiment of dragons takes up the growling cry and charges alongside him-building up speed.  
They gallop straight at the wall of fire that was once the trees, hammering over the uneven ground at full gallop now. They slam into the flames, bursting out of them without a blackened scale.  
"Hold the line! Stay with me!" Maximus shouts over the roaring of both the fire and the cavalry.  
The Roman unicorns move forward in their lines, running the enemy through with their sharp horns that protrude from their foreheads. The Germans are fighting for their lives, doing terrible damage. The fight is turning into a muddy mutual slaughter.  
Out of the flames bursts Maximus, in flight now, and his screaming cavalry. Germans turned terrified, caught between two walls of death. And the mighty dragons are upon them cutting them down with tooth and claw. The Germans fight fiercely, the wyvern leader knocks Maximus out of the sky with a terrible body blow. Maximus hits the ground with a sickening thud, and scrambles to his feet, blocking attacks from every direction, talons slashing wildly. Maximus is forced to the ground by a heavy blow to his chest.   
The wyvern towers over him, hovering in the air. The pale gray creature smiles, and holds out his long, elegant arms in front of him. A shining light forms in his opened paws as he conjures a fire spell. His silvery eyes close as he focuses his mind into submitting energy to the spell. Suddenly, a black gryphon dive-bombs him, knocking him to the ground. The gryphon slashes the wyvern with talons and beak, warm, fresh blood spraying in all directions, coating Maximus with it and those around him. He continues his brutal offence until the wailing wyvern lays motionless, his life ended, and Maximus' spared.  
The bloody massacre slowly dwindles down to nothing, with the last of the barbarians either fleeing into the woods or being killed brutally by a Roman. Dragon and phoenix fire illuminates the battlefield, filling it with an eerie glow.  
Atop a hill, an old silver dragon, Marcus Aurelius, watches as the battle dies. He is relieved.  
*****************************************************  
Two shining figures slice the sky at a high altitude. Both are dragons, and both look weary from a long flight. The one is slightly larger than the other, mainly because it is a male. He is a deep purple that changes colors like oil if the light hits his scales just right. Finely polished jewels on golden chains are wrapped around his silver horns. Feathery antennas flutter and flap behind him. His paws are tucked under him in flight, and his large black wings are spread wide.   
He adjusts his eyes on the female dragon gliding next to him. You could never tell that they were brother and sister just by looking at them, for the female is a pure, pearly white, with a creamy underside. The only thing similar about the two was their eyes-a mix of gray, green, and blue.  
"Do you think he's really dying?" the male questions.  
"He's been dying for ten years," the female replies without looking at her brother.  
"If he weren't really dying, he wouldn't have sent for us."  
The female now turns her head to look at her brother, smiling softly. "Maybe he just misses us."  
"And the Senators? He wouldn't have sent for them if-"  
"Peace, Commodus. After two weeks of tiring flight with little time to rest, your incessant scheming is making my scales even whiter," she says, still smiling warmly. Commodus chuckles lightly, eyes fixated upon his sister, Lucilla. He tilts his wings and flies a little closer to Lucilla. "He's made his decision. He's going to announce it," Commodus says, gently brushing his scales up against hers in a friendly manner. "He will name me. The first thing I shall do, is honor him with games worthy of his majesty."  
"For now, the first thing I shall do, is have a hot bath," Lucilla replies, pulling her gaze away from Commodus and gazing downwards. Finally, Germania beings to fade into sight. She sighs in relief, straining her aching wings onward.   
A few minutes later, Lucilla spots a small band of unicorns on the ground below, whinnying and neighing in order to get the two's attention.  
"Shall we descend?" Commodus asks, wings folded slightly, ready to pull into a dive.  
"Yes, please," Lucilla answers. Commodus pulls into a steep dive, soaring ahead of her, his ebony wings folded neatly along his sides. Lucilla follows his actions, and lands gracefully a few moments after him.   
An amber unicorn approaches them both, bowing his head to the Emperor's children. "We're almost there, sire," he says to Commodus.  
"Where's the emperor?" Commodus questions, a stern look upon his face.  
"He's at the front sire. They've been gone for 19 days! The wounded is still coming in!"  
Commodus glares coldly, and unfolds his wings. He nuzzles Lucilla affectionately, and takes off to the scene of battle.  
  
*************************************************  
Maximus sighs in relief, dropping his weight onto the frosty ground below. He is covered in mud, his own blood, and the wyvern's blood as well. The few scales that have not been covered in some substance stand out startlingly green in his new dull maroon and cinnamon coat. Weary ruby eyes focus on the clouded sky above him, flakes of snow now present in its dull grayness. The sun, no longer emitting its comforting heat, beats down on the muddy battle scene.   
A large shadow suddenly engulfs Maximus. He snaps his gaze downward, only to find the Emperor of Rome himself looking down at him with kind blue eyes. Maximus leaps to his feet, and bows elegantly, spreading his wings slightly.   
"You have proved your valor once again, Maximus," Marcus says, dusty silver scales shining in the cold light. "How can I award Rome's greatest General?"   
Maximus bows his head. "Let me go home?" he asks, hopefully.   
The kind-hearted old dragon nods, as Maximus thought he would. "Ah, home," he says warmly.  
  
Commodus arrives on the scene, gold-painted talons crunching the frost beneath them. He stalks over to the top of a hill, and leans his head over the edge. He looks very vulture-like indeed, with his great black wings folded and raised above his head, talons digging into the cold earth beneath him. A low snarl escapes his mouth as he spots his father and the general walking side by side down the isle made by the cheering soldiers.  
"They honor you, Caesar," Maximus says, grinning in Marcus' direction.   
Marcus chuckles. "No, Maximus. They honor you!" He outstretches his arm, inviting Maximus to react to the crowd of hailing soldiers. Maximus rears, and unfolds his mighty green wings in victory. The soldiers cheer even louder.  
The hawklike Commodus still watches from above, and finally decides to fly down to his father and the great general. He lands roughly, kicking up dirt that sails into Maximus' face. Commodus mumbles an apology, and walks right by Maximus without another word. He strides over to his father. "Have I missed it? Have I missed the battle?" he inquires. The two dragons embrace each other awkwardly.  
"You have missed the war!" Marcus answers, looking his son over.  
"Father, congratulations on your triumph. I honor you."  
"Honor Maximus. He won the battle."  
Commodus gives Maximus an oblique glance before turning to face him. He quickly embraces him, even more awkward."  
"General," Commodus says quickly.  
"Highness," Maximus replies.  
"Rome salutes you. And I embrace you as a brother. 'Tis been too long, my old friend," Commodus says, grinning a grin that Maximus can see right through. He simply bows quickly.  
Commodus walks back over to where his father stands, spike-tipped tail twitching irritably. "Follow me, father."   
Marcus obligingly follows his son up the isle. After a few moments, he stops. "I think it is time for me to go," he says quickly, turning around and padding slowly off. He steps into flight, smiling down at Maximus while Commodus glares fiercely. Maximus follows his Emperor into the snow-kissed sky.  



End file.
